Cruising Into 2008

Wednesday, February, 6, 2008

by Ralph Grizzle

From overland odysseys to the Himalayas to the icy realms of Antarctica, cruising in 2008 not only will cover the globe but also will offer a variety of experiences never before available from -- or on -- a cruise ship. Here are some of the highlights. [...]

Year-Round Med & European Christmas Cruises

Wednesday, January, 30, 2008

by Ralph Grizzle

When Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas begins sailing from Barcelona in May, she'll do something few other ships have ever done: remain abroad. For the first time, a North American-based cruise line will sail the Mediterranean year-round. Europe's Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises already operate Med cruises [...]

Marathon Med Cruising

Wednesday, June, 13, 2007

by Ralph Grizzle

I'm Ralph Grizzle, editor of the Avid Cruiser magazine. It's Wednesday June 13, and I've just returned from five weeks of cruising back to back on four ships. You may be thinking that four ships in five weeks is too much, but I met passengers who were on ships much longer [...]

Walking The Marble Road, Ephesus

Sunday, May, 13, 2007

by Ralph Grizzle

Shuffling my feet along a street made from marble slabs, I was following in the footsteps of the Virgin Mary, who, our guide tells us, lived near this ancient city, now part of Turkey, in the final years of her life.

The Marble Road cuts through the heart [...]

Touring Pompeii

Wednesday, May, 9, 2007

by Ralph Grizzle

Of the many tours offered from Naples, I opted for the half-day tour of Pompeii. The excavation site is 14 miles southeast of Naples, so it only took 30 minutes to get there.

Pompeii was crowded, but, as we were here in month of May, [...]

Day 3. Livorno: Chef’s Table

Monday, May, 7, 2007

by Ralph Grizzle

Last night, we were welcomed into the inner sanctum of the ship: the galley. For "foodies," this is a true pilgrimage.

We not only got a chance to see how Princess prepares meals for the more than 3,000 passengers on our sailing but also witnessed just how [...]

Day 2. Monte Carlo

Sunday, May, 6, 2007

by Ralph Grizzle

After departing Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) on Saturday, Emerald Princess docked in Monte Carlo Sunday morning. The fact that we docked was a surprise, because the ship was scheduled to tender passengers ashore. Among the more popular shore excursions: A Visit To Nice, France, less than 1 hour from Monte [...]

Setting Sail: Emerald Princess

Saturday, May, 5, 2007

by Ralph Grizzle

This week, I am reporting from Princess Cruises' brand new Emerald Princess. Our 12-day Greek Isles and Mediterranean voyage takes us from Rome to Venice. Along the way, we'll take part on a special naming ceremony for the ship: Sunday, May 13, in Athens. Television icons Florence Henderson, best known as "Carol [...]

Back-to-Back on Windstar Cruises

Monday, December, 18, 2006

by Ralph Grizzle

One way to fight that sinking feeling when it's time to disembark your cruise: Stay on board. by Ralph Grizzle Valletta, Malta (October 2004) -- As I stood talking to fellow passengers at the end of a weeklong Mediterranean sailing on Windstar Cruises, it soon became clear that I was a mere [...]